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The Laredo is currently in the shop for a 5 string conversion with a slightly wider neck...
How on earth is that done on a neck-through instrument?
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How on earth is that done on a neck-through instrument?
Oh, I'm sure it's a mess!
A new dual trussrod neck is being built with the body wings being reused. It's well outta my league......I'm just paying for it.
Greetings. Consider yourself a pending member. Post some pics when you have 'em and we can make it official!
Well, now I have a virtually hum-free 4003. Upon re-assembly I learned that there wasn't sufficient clearance for the mono jack. Since I shielded all the way out to the jack plate the signal was going to ground. This made up my mind to go ahead with a reversible mod I'd been contemplating anyway. I replaced the mono output jack with a standard non-switching type which grips the tip better and put a dummy jack on the stereo output (no plans for utilizing Ric-o-sound). Just a heads-up for others contemplating shielding - check for clearance around your jacks if you plan on shielding your output jack cavities...
I guess I am part of the club too.
My Rick is a '76 4001. I got it as my first bass in '89. It looked so cool compared to the Ibanez and Series10 (ugh) basses that were hanging around it. I still can't believe that my parents were OK with getting it. It was a little more expensive than most of the others by maybe $30 or so....it was only $330.
I used it until around '92 when the pickups started getting quieter and quieter...until there was eventually no more sound. Well I was in high school at the time and didn't know much about basses. I bought a used Squier as its replacement.
Fast forward 10 years, and I decide to get the Rick up-to-speed after sitting in a case for a decade. So instead of getting the pickups rewound...I just bought some new pickups. I opted for "vintage" pickups since...well, I wanted a vintage sound. I got a vintage reissue toaster and horseshoe. ....I later found out that (as we all know) I must have gotten some of the last reissue pickups before they were discontinued...and I didn't pay that much for them.
So to end this long story...my '76 has the vintage reissue toaster and horseshoe along with a Hipshot bridge (to replace the vintage Badass that had been installed Geddy style), and updated wiring with the modern 4003 push/pull pot.
However, I now have extra original vintage '76 Hi-gains. SO..now what do I do with those?
I am thinking of "making" something else into a Rickenbacker.
I got an Ibanez ATK 300 last week for dirt cheap. I want to get my Rick pickups rewound (which will cost more than the ATK)...and put them in the Ibanez...just to do something with the pickups...and try something creative. The bass has 5 controls just like a Rick...so not much modding there...and a stereo jack should be easy enough to add (for fun of course).
However, the pickup placement is an issue. In scale, the neck pickup would sit almost an inch closer to the bridge than on a 4001. Also, the bridge pickup would sit about a half inch closer to the bridge. The bridge itself would also be replaced with a Hipshot Rickenbacker style bridge.
My question is....would it sound close, or would the pickup placement totally destroy some of the Rick-like sound? I am not expecting it to completely sound like a 4001/4003...but I'd like it to be close. It just seems like a fun project. Any suggestions?
....and I hear there is some routing under the ATK's stock bridge....so I'll have to have some more chrome made to cover it
Here is a pic of the rough pickup layout.....with my '76 next to it.
My Rick is a '76 4001. I got it as my first bass in '89. It looked so cool compared to the Ibanez and Series10 (ugh) basses that were hanging around it. I still can't believe that my parents were OK with getting it. It was a little more expensive than most of the others by maybe $30 or so....it was only $330.
I used it until around '92 when the pickups started getting quieter and quieter...until there was eventually no more sound. Well I was in high school at the time and didn't know much about basses. I bought a used Squier as its replacement.
Fast forward 10 years, and I decide to get the Rick up-to-speed after sitting in a case for a decade. So instead of getting the pickups rewound...I just bought some new pickups. I opted for "vintage" pickups since...well, I wanted a vintage sound. I got a vintage reissue toaster and horseshoe. ....I later found out that (as we all know) I must have gotten some of the last reissue pickups before they were discontinued...and I didn't pay that much for them.
So to end this long story...my '76 has the vintage reissue toaster and horseshoe along with a Hipshot bridge (to replace the vintage Badass that had been installed Geddy style), and updated wiring with the modern 4003 push/pull pot.
However, I now have extra original vintage '76 Hi-gains. SO..now what do I do with those?
I am thinking of "making" something else into a Rickenbacker.
I got an Ibanez ATK 300 last week for dirt cheap. I want to get my Rick pickups rewound (which will cost more than the ATK)...and put them in the Ibanez...just to do something with the pickups...and try something creative. The bass has 5 controls just like a Rick...so not much modding there...and a stereo jack should be easy enough to add (for fun of course).
However, the pickup placement is an issue. In scale, the neck pickup would sit almost an inch closer to the bridge than on a 4001. Also, the bridge pickup would sit about a half inch closer to the bridge. The bridge itself would also be replaced with a Hipshot Rickenbacker style bridge.
My question is....would it sound close, or would the pickup placement totally destroy some of the Rick-like sound? I am not expecting it to completely sound like a 4001/4003...but I'd like it to be close. It just seems like a fun project. Any suggestions?
....and I hear there is some routing under the ATK's stock bridge....so I'll have to have some more chrome made to cover it
Here is a pic of the rough pickup layout.....with my '76 next to it.
I modded a Rick back in the 80's...I had a black pickguard fabricated to make it all black, then I had a Duncan installed in the neck position and an EMG in the bridge position, also had a badass II put on....say what you want about ruining the bass but other bass players raved about the tone. I'd love to know where it is now, I stupidly sold it for short money.
Sweet looking 4001! Quite a bit of the Rick sound is the pickups, but it is also in the wood and construction. If the neck pickup is working (should measure around 8.4k with an ohmmeter) then try that first in the ATK 300. If there is not a noticeable Rickness to it, then consider from there. Some of the Rick tone is also the pickup placement. They are on harmonic spots.I guess I am part of the club too.
My Rick is a '76 4001. I got it as my first bass in '89. It looked so cool compared to the Ibanez and Series10 (ugh) basses that were hanging around it. I still can't believe that my parents were OK with getting it. It was a little more expensive than most of the others by maybe $30 or so....it was only $330.
I used it until around '92 when the pickups started getting quieter and quieter...until there was eventually no more sound. Well I was in high school at the time and didn't know much about basses. I bought a used Squier as its replacement.
Fast forward 10 years, and I decide to get the Rick up-to-speed after sitting in a case for a decade. So instead of getting the pickups rewound...I just bought some new pickups. I opted for "vintage" pickups since...well, I wanted a vintage sound. I got a vintage reissue toaster and horseshoe. ....I later found out that (as we all know) I must have gotten some of the last reissue pickups before they were discontinued...and I didn't pay that much for them.
So to end this long story...my '76 has the vintage reissue toaster and horseshoe along with a Hipshot bridge (to replace the vintage Badass that had been installed Geddy style), and updated wiring with the modern 4003 push/pull pot.
However, I now have extra original vintage '76 Hi-gains. SO..now what do I do with those?
I am thinking of "making" something else into a Rickenbacker.
I got an Ibanez ATK 300 last week for dirt cheap. I want to get my Rick pickups rewound (which will cost more than the ATK)...and put them in the Ibanez...just to do something with the pickups...and try something creative. The bass has 5 controls just like a Rick...so not much modding there...and a stereo jack should be easy enough to add (for fun of course).
However, the pickup placement is an issue. In scale, the neck pickup would sit almost an inch closer to the bridge than on a 4001. Also, the bridge pickup would sit about a half inch closer to the bridge. The bridge itself would also be replaced with a Hipshot Rickenbacker style bridge.
My question is....would it sound close, or would the pickup placement totally destroy some of the Rick-like sound? I am not expecting it to completely sound like a 4001/4003...but I'd like it to be close. It just seems like a fun project. Any suggestions?
....and I hear there is some routing under the ATK's stock bridge....so I'll have to have some more chrome made to cover it
Here is a pic of the rough pickup layout.....with my '76 next to it.
I put a hipshot on my 78 rickenbacker and I got a question for you modders. I don't like the sound of both pickups running on my ric. Neck solo'd is super loud with no clarity and the bridge is quiet w no beef. Granted I know about the .0047 cap on the bridge pup but I wonder if the aftermarket toaster neck pup would be better suited in my bass. Any suggestions? I like the bridge pup and run it alone with the bass cranked on my amp. But its just missing that total rickenbacker tone to my ears.
Hi Folks,
The name I use for my TB "username" is not my own. Otherwise I would not be joining this club publicly. I have a friend (guitarist) who is a Rickenbacker purist. To the point of his detriment. But that's his issue, not mine.
My Ric:
2010 4003 JetGlo. Bought brand-new at a very pleasing price. I made my first mod before playing a single note on it. To normal people, that's insane. To a flat-wound lover, it makes perfect sense. While you may argue that a string-swap is not a mod: I remind you; I ran out to the Brown truck to sign for it when the truck stopped in front of my house. I photographed the cardboard box (from every angle); extracted the Official Ric case; photographed that (especially the hinges and latches); opened the case and took more pictures before removing the prize, plugged said bass into a tuner just for fun (it was pretty well in tune); gently removed the strings one by one (with a break to tweak the sacred truss rods) and did a textbook installation of four LaBella 760FL's. And then, and only then, did I plug the freshly strung and tuned 4003 into an Ampeg combo amp. As I expected, there was the characteristic single coil hum.
Which leads me to my next post....
The name I use for my TB "username" is not my own. Otherwise I would not be joining this club publicly. I have a friend (guitarist) who is a Rickenbacker purist. To the point of his detriment. But that's his issue, not mine.
My Ric:
2010 4003 JetGlo. Bought brand-new at a very pleasing price. I made my first mod before playing a single note on it. To normal people, that's insane. To a flat-wound lover, it makes perfect sense. While you may argue that a string-swap is not a mod: I remind you; I ran out to the Brown truck to sign for it when the truck stopped in front of my house. I photographed the cardboard box (from every angle); extracted the Official Ric case; photographed that (especially the hinges and latches); opened the case and took more pictures before removing the prize, plugged said bass into a tuner just for fun (it was pretty well in tune); gently removed the strings one by one (with a break to tweak the sacred truss rods) and did a textbook installation of four LaBella 760FL's. And then, and only then, did I plug the freshly strung and tuned 4003 into an Ampeg combo amp. As I expected, there was the characteristic single coil hum.
Which leads me to my next post....
"Nearly an inch closer" is quite normal. The standard Rick has a 33 1/4'', while the ATK has a 34" scale. If you measure the distance of the pickups on the 4001 from nut to pickup center and multiply by 34/33.25, you'll get the new position of pickups on the ATK - that way you'll compensate for the scale difference.
In theory, the pickups would need to be a bit wider-aperture to get a proportional amount of the string length sensed, but in practice you'll probably get a really close tone. Or so maths would suggest.
Never tried the toaster... however, shorting that capacitor will make the bridge pickup much fuller and louder sounding, with even more output than the neck. It will fatten up the sound of the bass considerably. Mine has a switch, and I hardly ever engage the bass-cut capacitor.
I like the bridge pup tone though. would like the neck to be closer to the bridge tone and volume with just a hint more bass to balance it out better
It is possible to try out the modification without making anything permanent. Just solder a wire across the capacitor. It will make you wonder why your bass sounded so thin before....
Hi, guys! I'm not looking for a membership, just want to share something! I think it will be interesting for you! 
A story, from beginning to the end:
http://talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=679295&highlight=
A story, from beginning to the end:
http://talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=679295&highlight=
I've done this with a solid core wire jumper on my 4080.
Just twist the wire ends tightly with needle nose pliers and you're good to go, easy to remove if you want, and no one will ever know you tried it (only matters to extreme purists).
It's actually a strong enough connection to just leave as is, which I did, but you could add solder to the wire ends if you feel the need (I hate soldering).
Hi, guys! I'm not looking for a membership, just want to share something! I think it will be interesting for you!
A story, from beginning to the end:
http://talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=679295&highlight=
Thanks very much for sharing this. VERY cool bass you have there!!
Jaymi
Pink Bass Man
- Feb 11, 2008
- 6,813
- 490
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Ampeg , Jaydee, Kalium
I have to agree....John, your next project can look like that!!! Oh wait, you're already very close
If you made a sandwich, shielding-insulation-air, it would not short anything. But those jacks fill the holes very tightly so I'd still find that a very tedious job.
